EnOcean’s Solar-Powered Sensors for Smart Buildings and IoT

EnOcean, a company that specializes in energy harvesting wireless technology, is presenting the latest developments in self-powered Bluetooth sensors for maintenance-free sensing at the 2020 CES. Perhaps the highlight of their exhibit is a new solar-powered multi-sensor, a small device that integrates five dedicated sensors – all powered by the same solar cell – delivering data via Bluetooth. Thus, EnOcean provides Bluetooth IoT networks with a fully maintenance-free sensing device that delivers information for thousands of application scenarios. The industry innovators Rigado and Prolojik will include the new EnOcean self-powered multi-sensors in their Bluetooth IoT systems in 2020.

EnOcean uses the energy harvesting principle to power wireless switches and sensors by their surrounding environment. Instead of wires and batteries, the devices are powered by renewable energy sources such as motion, light or temperature differences. Based on its field-proven energy harvesting platform, the company offers a complete self-powered control portfolio for Bluetooth® systems for worldwide use enabling its OEM partners a fast market adoption.

Self-Powered IoT Sensors

At CES, EnOcean is presenting the latest member of this innovative Bluetooth family: a new solar-powered multi-sensor integrating temperature, humidity, illumination, acceleration and magnet contact sensors in one small housing. Thus, this sensing all-rounder delivers data via Bluetooth for a wide range of applications in digitized buildings and the IoT. The integrated solar cell generates all energy needed for measurement and data communication from ambient indoor light. This harvested energy is stored internally to ensure that the device works for days when no light is available. For reliable operation, the sensor also reports the internal energy level and the amount of light available at the solar cell. As with all EnOcean Bluetooth devices, the multi-sensor has a Near Field Communication (NFC) interface to be easily configured and commissioned via an NFC reader, a smartphone or a tablet.

The multi-sensor extends EnOcean’s portfolio of self-powered control solutions for Bluetooth® systems, which already includes battery-free wireless switches and a solar-powered motion detector.

Data for Bluetooth IoT Systems

Due to its small form factor and its wireless and maintenance-free operation, the multi-sensor is highly flexible to place wherever data is needed. In addition, the communication via Bluetooth standard allows a seamless integration into smart systems. These characteristics together with the wide range of generated data makes the sensor the ideal add-on to comprehensive Bluetooth IoT control solutions.